


Minseoks' Universe

by Jack3f



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Eventual Relationships, Fluff, Friendship, Other, Slice of Life, single dad in college, single parent
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-24
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-03-09 01:04:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13470438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jack3f/pseuds/Jack3f
Summary: A series of drabbles where single dad Minseok raises his Universe with the help of his closest friends.





	1. prologue: She Walks Away

**Author's Note:**

> I purposely didn’t name the mother.
> 
> cross posted on my aff and tumblr: jack3f

Minseok sighs when the call fails to connect. He dials the number again. He really can’t believe she walked out on him and their 2 week old daughter. She took all of her belongings while he was in class. She had texted him his daughter was with a mutual friend of theirs and told him to pick her up. Said she wasn’t going to make it home. She really meant I’m leaving. He had gone to pick up their daughter, gone home, put her to bed. Belatedly realized all of her belongings were gone. He had tried calling her right away, only to get sent to the inbox.

On the bedside table there had been a letter and their engagement ring. In the letter she wrote him she said she wasn’t strong enough to raise a child, she wasn’t ready. She was still far too young. The pregnancy had only put her dreams on hold. She wished him luck and happiness. Asked him to not look for her. Lastly, she said she was no longer in love with him.

Just as the tone goes to the mailbox for the fiftieth time, his daughter starts to cry. He picks her up from her crib and cradles her in his arms. ‘It’s okay, baby. Daddy’s here. Shh.’ He rocks. Her crying doesn’t let down. He gets up paces back and forth trying to get her to calm down. She continues to wail. 'Please stop crying.’ He pleads her.

When she doesn’t quiet down for thirty minutes he calls his mother. She answers on the second ring. 'Hello sweetie,’ he hears her say.

'Mom,’ he cries out. 'I need help. She walked out and Woojoo won’t stop crying.’ He says.

'Have you fed her? Changed her diaper? When did she leave will she be coming back?’ His mother questions.

'I haven’t fed her,’ he says. 'I don’t think she will be coming back.’

'Okay, just feed her, she’ll calm down if all she was making a fuss for was because she was hungry.’ She says, 'I’ll come over for a couple days help you for a bit walk you through taking care of her. Don’t worry everything will be fine.’

'Thanks mom, I love you.’ He says as he hangs up the phone.

His daughter still cradled in his arms he begins to make a bottle. He reads the instructions on the baby formula. After making it as the instructions say he should, he shakes the bottle vigorously letting the water and formula mix well. He feeds his daughter and she quickly falls asleep. He sighs in relief.

The following day early in the morning his mom knocks on his door. She makes a joke about how tired he looks. He lets her in telling her how Woojoo had decided to cry all night long. He leaves for class, with a note to contact the universities daycare. His mother will only be here for a week or two he needs to figure out who will take care of her while he is at work.

After class he heads back home, talks with his mother. He shows her the letter she had left him. She sighs and asks him what he wants to do. She lets him know that she will support him on his decision. If he wants to put Woojoo up for adoption or raise her himself, she will be right there to support him. He’s already got the necessary papers he needs to fill out and send in a few of Woojoo’s shots information.

He leaves for work, he works as a barista at a coffee shop near his university.

His mother is a great help during the 2 weeks she stayed she was able to get his Daughter on a schedule. He is to feed and burp her every four hours. Check her diaper every now and then.

She had gotten approved for the university daycare. Having her on a schedule was going to make their job that much easier. She was only 4 weeks old most of the time she was asleep anyways.

His groups of friends had all agreed to help him take care of her when they found out her mother had bailed. On Mondays and Thursdays, Jongdae would care for her with the help of Yixing on Thursdays. On Tuesdays, Baekhyun had volunteered. On Wednesdays, Junmyeon was free. On Fridays, Chanyeol had signed up for. Saturdays and Sundays were Minseoks’ days.


	2. Jongdaes' First Day

Jongdae had been ecstatic when Minseok had knocked on his door car seat, with a sleeping Woojoo, in one hand and a diaper bag in the other. ‘I’m late,’ Minseok says. ‘I fed her before we left so her next bottle is in 3 and a half hours. Check her diaper every so often. When you hold her support her head.’ He says rushing his words.

Jongdae laughs. 'I got it hyung. Go on, you’re late.’ He says as he takes the car seat from Minseoks hand walks a few steps towards the couch and places her on the floor. He turns back around motions Minseok to place the diaper bag on the floor. 'Don’t worry hyung. She will be fine.’ Jongdae says.

Minseok places the diaper bag down. 'Right, I’ll be back in 6 hours.’ He says.

'See you then, drive safely.’ Jongdae calls out as Minseok closes the door behind him.

Jongdae sits down in front of Woojoo. He rocks her a little. Jongdae smiles to himself as he watches her sleep for a few minutes. She looks just like Minseok, the same nose and eyes. She’s so beautiful.

Jongdae pulls his laptop onto his lap with his left foot on the car seat rocking Woojoo he continues working on his assignments. Jongdae takes a break an hour in Woojoo is still sound asleep. He picks her up carefully placing one hand on the back of her head and the other on the small of her back. He hushes her softly as he moves her from the car seat to the couch he checks her diaper, soiled. Jongdae gets up to fetch the diaper bag and changes her diaper. He changes her diaper very carefully he doesn’t want to wake her.

She continues to sleep. He goes back to his assignment. This time Woojoo is sleeping on the couch besides himself. Small blanket bunched up at her small feet. She kicked it off of herself. Very cutely. They continue this routine until she stirs awake. She flutters her big round eyes, just like Minseoks’, open and stares at Jongdae.

'Hello there sleepy head.’ Jongdae coos, 'Are you hungry?’ He picks her up. He makes his way into his small kitchen diaper bag in one hand Woojoo cradled in the other. He places the bag on the counter takes out the baby bottle and formula. Pours water into a pot puts it on the stove. As he waits for the water to heat he prepares the bottle. Pours 6 ounces, exact, into the bottle. Checks the water in the pot and places the bottle into the heated water. Leaves it in there for a minute or two.

He changes Woojoo position in his arms from being cradled into a sitting position where her head is leaning on his chest. It makes his movements easier. Woojoo begins to suck on Jongdae’s shirt. The movement has rocked her back to sleep.

Jongdae runs the hot bottle under cold water to cool it’s temperature down. He checks the inside temperature on his wrist, deems it warm. He looks down on the baby and realizes she is fast asleep again. He sighs, walks over to the couch. Slumps down into the couch with Woojoo still on his chest he lets her sleep for a few more minutes. She looks far too precious and adorable that it aches to wake her up.

He feeds her after 10 minutes of her sucking on his shirt crating a wet spot. He laughs at the spot. She’s cradled once again on his arms one hand holding the bottle in place. She finishes the bottle and goes back to sleep.

They go back to their routine. Jongdae checking her diaper every now and then, while doing his assignments. Woojoo sound asleep.

Minseok shows up with takeout food for himself and Jongdae. Jongdae had been preparing Woojoos’ second bottle when he had arrived. Minseok removes his shoes at the door and walks towards the kitchen table. Minseok carries his baby girl. Woojoo opens her eyes wide and smiles at her father then proceeds to sleep some more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woojoo is so cute !!


	3. Junmyeon loses the pacifier and his mind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is really short

At 5 months Woojoo loves her pacifiers. She has two a blue rubber teat with a brown dog attached to the handle and a pink one with a yellow giraffe attached. She doesn’t go anywhere without one of them. She always has one clutched in her tiny little hands. So when she realizes she doesn’t have her cute brown dog with her she begins to wail.

Junmyeon wasn’t prepared for her to cry so loud. He had just picked her up from Jongdae’s and Yixing’s apartment since he was running late. He only had time to pick her up since they were getting ready to leave as well. Junmyeon had begun looking around for the baby’s pacifier only to find it wasn’t there. He turned the diaper bag inside out, nothing. He went down to his car just in case she dropped it there, nothing.

Junmyeon didn’t know how to quiet her down. He paced back and forth. He rocked her. She just wouldn’t let down. She had only quieted down when it was time to feed her. She had resumed wailing when he had taken the bottle away.

Junmyeon was ready to pull his hair out. He texts Jongdae and Yixing asking them if they had seen the pacifier. Jongdae had texted back that he thinks the pacifier had been left on their coffee table and that he was sorry. Junmyeon sighs and proceeds to text Minseok to bring a pacifier when he comes pick her up. Next time Junmyeon swears he is going to make sure she has her pacifier.

When Minseok arrives to pick her up later that day, Junmyeon had managed to get Woojoo to go sleep. He was exhausted. Minseok had come in like a savior, he was Junmyeon’s God.

Woojoo had woken up a few minutes after Minseok had arrived. Junmyeon noticed her stir, he was sure she would start crying. Instead she gets one look at Minseok and smiles brightly. Junmyeon can’t help but think Woojoo hates him.

Minseok coos at his daughter, while he checks her diaper. He thanks Junmyeon and apologizes for his princess and promises to always leave a spare pacifier in her bag.


	4. Minseok’s Day Off and Lunch With Jongdae

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woojoo is 6 months old

It’s a Friday, Minseok doesn’t have class nor does he have to go in for work today. Minseok had gotten up early enough to prepare Woojoo’s bottle before she woke up. He enters his room where he has been keeping her crib, after her mother walked out on them. He peaks into her crib breaking out into a wide smile when he sees her with her eyes wide open. ‘Good morning baby,’ he whispers. His heart melts when she makes grabby hands at him. ‘How is your diaper?’ He asks her as he picks her up.

Minseok scrunches his nose when he notices her diaper is full. 'Ew,’ he exclaims. Woojoo giggles. Minseok puts her down on his bed tickling her. Her laughter fills his ears he can’t help but think that her laugh is the most beautiful sound in the world. He vows to always make her laugh. He changes her diaper feeds her and then lays back down with her for the rest of the morning.

Minseok makes and eats his breakfast. He has decided to take his baby girl on a walk; he wants to spend the whole afternoon with her. He puts his daughter in a blue dress; underneath he has put her in a short sleeves onesie and white tights. She refuses to put on her shoes, by scrunching her toes. He sighs in defeat, raises his hands a single shiny black shoe in one hand. 'Fine you win,’ he says. Woojoo kicks her feet in pure happiness.

Watching her kick her feet like that reminds him of the time when she had first started to roll herself over. He had been on his laptop typing out am essay. He had laid Woojoo down on the floor beside himself. She had started to babble to herself he looked up at her as she kicked and squirmed. He smiled at her softly encouraging her to continue. She’d been trying to flip herself for the past few days. It was the cutest thing Minseok had ever seen.

She finally manages to flip herself Minseok had cheered pushing his laptop and his essay aside. He praises her. 'You did so well baby,’ he flips her back around. 'Do it again,’ he says. She struggles but eventually flips herself around again. They continue the routine for half an hour.

Minseok shakes his head clearing the memory. He dresses himself gets his car keys and walks out of his apartment baby in one arm diaper bag and a pink stuffed bunny in his other hand. Woojoo carrying both of her pacifiers. She has this habit of sucking on one for a few seconds pulling it out and sucking on the other, the process goes on until she bores herself.

He takes them to the mall. He takes out the baby stroller from the back of his car sets it up. Minseok takes out his baby girl and places her in the stroller. He pulls on a pair of sunglasses runs a hand through his hair. Gelled back. He walks around through the mall for a few hours window shopping. His baby girl fast asleep.

He’s getting ready to exit the mall when he receives a call. He answers his phone after the third ring. 'Hyung, are you and Woojoo free?’ He hears Jongdae call from the other line.

'Hello, Jongdae, we are having a wonderful day thanks for asking.’ Minseok answers.

'Sorry hyung. So was your and Woojoo’s day?’ Jongdae asks.

'It was pretty good. We are currently out.’ Minseok replies.

'Oh, have you two eaten yet?’ Jongdae asks.

'No, we haven’t.’ Minseok replies, reaching his car.

'Good. I mean not good. We should meet up and eat.’ Jongdae says.

'Fine. Eat out or in?’ Minseok asks. Minseok opens the door putting his daughter in her car seat, buckling her up.

'In. My place. I kind of cooked too much, Yixing isn’t even here. He’s going to be out for the whole weekend.’ He says. Minseok can imagine his pout. He folds the stroller and puts it in the trunk of his car.

'We’ll get there in 30 minutes,’ Minseok says. He walks over to the driver’s seat, gets in and turns on the car. His phone automatically connects via Bluetooth. 'Let’s go Woojoo,’ he says to the sleeping baby.

'Okay,’ Jongdae says. Neither of them hangs up the call.

Neither of them talks until Minseok has entered the parking garage. 'We are here, be up in a few,’ he says. Jongdae upon hearing that he disconnects the call. They have been doing that for most of their friendship. Jongdae always wants to make sure that Minseok will be safe out in the road.

Jongdae is aware it takes Minseok a few minutes to get Woojoo out of her car seat, and a minute in the elevator. He opens the door right as Minseok is about to knock. 'Come in, hyung.’ Jongdae says, happy that Minseok made it. He holds his hands out for Woojoo, Minseok hands her over to him. They feed Woojoo first. She always gets sleepy after her bottle. She naps in Jongdae’s bedroom. Bigger bed less chance of her moving in her sleep and falling.

Jongdae already has the table set they sit around eating and chatting. They talk about Minseok’s day off and what he and Woojoo did. Jongdae talks about his own day, dubbing the day so far kind of shitty. Considering he is scheduled to do his performance later than usual. He sings part-time at a bar on weekends. His performances are always done at 10 pm and goes on for half an hour to an hour, depending on the crowds response. Today he is scheduled to do a midnight performance meaning his boss expects him to be on stage for at least 1 hour and 30 minutes. Minseok smiles sympathetically at him. They finish eating. Jongdae was about to start putting the dirty dishes in the sink when Minseok stopped him. He pushed him into his bedroom and told him to sleep he will take care of the dishes. Jongdae cuddles up into Woojoo and closes his eyes.

Minseok cleanups the table, washes all the dirty pots, pans, plates, and silverware. He dries them with a towel and puts them where they belong. He sweeps the floor and cleans the stove. All done in barely over 1 hour.

Minseok stands at the door way to Jongdae’s bedroom. He can’t help but coo at the sight of Jongdae and his daughter cuddling. He takes out his phone and snaps a picture.


	5. Woojoo’s Tantrum: Jongdae Needs To Write a Paper

Woojoo had been fussy all day; Minseok wasn’t sure why she would cry every time she would be put down. He arrives to Jongdae’s apartment at least 45 minutes before he had to leave to work, just to give him a fair warning about what was about to go down when he would leave. Jongdae had reassured him that he would be able to handle her, besides Yixing was going to be here as well. The both of them made a great babysitting duo, but it was rare for Yixing to actually be there on most Thursdays.

As expected when Minseok handed Woojoo over to Jongdae she began to wail. Her cries made it sound like someone was torturing her. Minseok’s chest actually hurt. Missing work once would be fine right?

Jongdae had rocked Woojoo all the while pushing Minseok out of the door. ‘Don’t worry hyung; now go to work before you’re late.’ Minseok looks at him apologetically and promised to make it up to him.  

Jongdae sang to her while he rocked her. He attempted to put one of her pacifiers in her mouth it would stop her from crying for .002 second before she spit it back out. He really needed to put her to sleep so he could work on a paper. Woojoo stopped crying 30 long minutes later.

He continues to rock her for a few minutes before he decides that she is unconscious enough to be put down. Very slowly he begins to lower her onto the sofa. He lays her on the couch. He begins to slowly withdraw his hands. She begins to cry again. Exasperated Jongdae picks her up again. She stops crying and is asleep again within seconds.

Confused Jongdae tries to lay her down. As expected she cries. He tries two more times all achieving the same result. ‘Fine I get it; you don’t want me to let you go.’

He decides to gather his things and place them on the sofa. He sits down legs crossed cradling Woojoo on his legs. He supports her head with one hand as he holds his breathe for her reaction.  She doesn’t cry. He works on his paper as best he can with Woojoo on his lap.

Jongdae perks up a bit when he hears the keys on the lock one hour later. Yixing is finally here. 'I’m home,’ he calls from the door.

'Welcome back,’ Jongdae calls out soft enough to not disturb Woojoo. Yixing comes into their living room and raises an eyebrow at Jongdae’s awkward position. His body is twisted so he can type on his laptop with Woojoo cradled on his legs. 'What’s going on here?’ Yixing questions.

Jongdae looks at him defeated. 'Xing Xing, she wouldn’t let me put her down on the couch.’ He whined. Yixing had laughed. 'It’s not funny,’ Jongdae whines again.

'I’m sorry, but it is.’ Yixing had said. 'Here let me take her.’ He picks her up; she opens her eyes and smiles at him. Yixing coos at her and praises her. 'Have you given her the bottle yet?’ Yixing asks Jongdae.

Jongdae whines again. 'That’s not fair she cried for 30 minutes with me and she isn’t even making a sound with you. Not yet.’

'Maybe she just doesn’t like you,’ Yixing says to Jongdae, Jongdae groans. 'Alright, little miss lets prepare you a bottle.’ With that Yixing crabs her diaper bag. He prepares her bottle. He goes back into the living room where Jongdae has straightened himself out laptop on his lap typing vigorously. Yixing sits beside him. He positions Woojoo on his lap head propped up on one arm. With her bib on he feeds her the bottle.

The following day Minseok texts Jongdae that Woojoo had gotten sick. She was being clingy because she wasn’t feeling well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll eventually write about chanyeol and Baekhyun with Woojoo.


	6. Woojoo Decides It’s Not Nap Time Yet

Junmyeon really enjoys Woojoo’s company. Even when she cries for his phone; then proceeds to use it as a teething toy. The amount of times he’s had to stop her from putting his phone in her mouth is far too many to count. She is very sleek about when she is going to put his phone in her mouth. She curiously flips the phone front, back, sides, upside down, right side up, pushes the buttons. Junmyeon is no longer looking in her mouth. Every single time Junmyeon very exasperated goes, ‘stop trying to eat technology.’

Today, Woojoo has decided to tease Junmyeon. She asks, well she makes grabby hands at the bottle on the coffee table. She lays down drinks her bottle. She yawns and closes her eyes. Junmyeon turns away for maybe .02 seconds when he turns back to her. Her eyes are wide open. She began to whine that she wanted to sit up. She still can’t sit herself up. She can hold the sitting position but she is still unable to sit herself up.

‘You wanted to nap,’ Junmyeon stresses. ‘I won’t help you sit up. If you want to sit up you have to do it yourself.’ He says indignantly, slightly pointing his nose up towards the ceiling. He watches her struggle laughing to himself.

He takes out his phone records her. He records her as she struggles her tiny feet in the air preventing her from achieving her goal. He holds down her tiny feet. Woojoo struggles some more for a few minutes before she slowly lifts her head off of the couch. She sits up and let’s put a loud please giggle. ‘You did it! You sat up,’ Junmyeon exclaims proudly. He stops recording and sends the video to Minseok.

Minseok replies a while later with a string of praises for his daughter and a thank you to Junmyeon for sending him the video.

Junmyeon continues to go along with whatever Woojoo has in mind for him.


	7. Halloween

Minseok can’t help but smile at the group of man currently asleep in his living room. He, Junmyeon, Jongdae and Woojoo are all occupying his long sofa. Woojoo is fast asleep on Jongdae’s lap head bowed forward at an awkward angle, while Jongdae himself has his head on Minseok’s shoulder. Minseok very carefully attempts to shift Woojoo a little to fix her current posture. Baekhyun is lying on the smaller sofa while Chanyeol and Yixing occupy the floor. The movie that is playing is ¾ in. While everyone started closing their eyes halfway through Yixing has been sound asleep since the beginning. Who can blame him he had only agreed to come over when Baekhyun has bribed him with quality Minseok and Woojoo time, he had been overworking himself down at the studio for his upcoming showcase. Since today was Halloween Baekhyun had invited himself and the other guys over to Minseok’s apartment claiming it would just be a fun experience for the seven of them. They had all dressed up and taken Woojoo out for her very first Halloween experience.

Baekhyun had handed out tuxedo shirts and claimed they were Princess Woojoo’s bodyguards. No one protested. ‘Hyung!’ Baekhyun whined when he saw Minseok bring Woojoo out in a pumpkin costume. Jongdae had burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of them being bodyguards to a pumpkin, a very adorable pumpkin.

Minseok had shrugged, 'if you wanted to match you should have said something weeks ago.’

The seven of them had gone out to show Woojoo the joys of Halloween and free candy. Then they had gone to Minseok’s apartment to watch a movie or two despite it being a Tuesday night.

Jongdae wakes up a few minutes before the movie ends just to find that he is trapped in between Minseok’s head and shoulder. He can see the subtle rise and fall of his stomach at a slow and steady pace. At the corner of his eye he can see Junmyeon is also asleep. He notices the quiet of the entire room and figures everyone else is also asleep. He doesn’t move a muscle until the end credits start to roll. He gently wakes Minseok up. 'Minseok hyung,’ he whispers.

Slowly Minseok starts waking up he picks his head up from Jongdae’s apologizing for having fallen asleep. Jongdae dismisses him instead he asks about what to do with the rest of the guys.

'Leave them.’ He says getting up then turning to Jongdae he points to Woojoo. 'Want to put her to bed?’ Jongdae nods and gets up gently shifting Woojoo around until she is cradled comfortably in his hold. He walks her into Minseok’s room where he is keeping her crib.

Minseok walks towards his linen closet and takes out three separate blankets to drape over the four still sleeping men.

Minseok carefully helps Junmyeon into a better position on the sofa and then covers him with one of the blankets. He drapes another over Baekhyun. He covers Yixing and Chanyeol with a large comforter.

He yawns but picks up their small mess. Jongdae helps him when he comes out. It’s late on a Halloween night it’s cold and frankly Minseok just doesn’t like the idea of Jongdae out in this streets this late so he asks him to stay the night as well. Jongdae points out that there technically isn’t any room for him to sleep in, Minseok snorts and points a finger towards his bedroom. Jongdae nods and follows Minseok into his bedroom. They both fall asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillows.

The next morning Minseok finds his queen sized bed full of men. Slowly one by one each one had made their way into Minseok bedroom and cuddle up onto him and Jongdae. The six of them do not fit Minseok briefly wonders if he should get a bigger bed. They are all squashed together. He grunts and asks them if they didn’t have morning classes quickly 3 of them scamper off the bed and out of the door.


End file.
